A nationally recognized disability advocate, Martinez uses his experience to promote inclusive education, employment and self-advocacy for people with disabilities.
Gabriel (Gabe) Martinez was born in El Paso, Texas and moved to Tucson at the age of 9. Born with Down Syndrome, Gabe was exposed to advocacy through observing his parents advocate for Gabe to receive the proper medical care he needed and later to receive a fully inclusive education. As Gabe got older he developed his self-advocacy skills and has become a nationally recognized self-advocate and advocate for individuals with disabilities.
Throughout his life, Gabriel has advocated to be in a fully included education system. Gabe graduated from Ironwood Ridge High School in Oro Valley, having been educated from Pre-Kindergarten to 12th grade in a regular classroom with his non-disabled peers. He participated in wrestling, being named co-captain of the wrestling team his senior year. After high school, Gabe found employment at the University of Arizona.
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Gabe has been a project aide and peer navigator at the University of Arizona Sonoran Center for Excellence in Disabilities since 2020. At the Sonoran Center, Gabe helps teens and young adults with disabilities become self-advocates in all aspects of life. He is a coordinator of a Native youth focused transition and employment program called “Finds Their Way”. This program works with Native youths to transition from high school into adulthood exploring further educational and employment opportunities. Through the Sonoran Center, Gabe is a regular speaker and trainer for webinars, course guest lectures, high school classroom presentations and medical student education at the University of Arizona College of Medicine.
Through his advocacy work, Gabe was appointed to the President’s Committee for People with Intellectual Disabilities, a term from 2022 to 2025 under President Joe Biden. This committee was an advisory committee of 21 citizen members appointed by the president and 13 federal government members, with its mission to provide advice and assistance to the President and the Secretary of Health and Human Services on topics that impact people with intellectual disabilities.
He represented the state of Arizona at the White House in 2023 in recognition of the 50th anniversary of the Disabilities Rights Act, meeting President Biden.
Gabe has been a speaker on education and work opportunities at the National Down Syndrome Society National Conferences.
Through his work with Arizona Lend, he has participated in the Disability Rights Symposium in Washington, D.C., speaking at opening ceremonies in 2026 on how education matters.
He also advocates for disability rights with state and US legislators regularly.
Gabe credits his parents, Mario and Sallie, and his sister, Isabel, with being his biggest supporters and thanks them for being advocates for him.
Gabe considers himself a foodie and considers himself the biggest fan of all time for University of Arizona athletics.
